The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-05-26
On the Line Of Promotion.

1IupOItuHI uuty VI cicCllllS LIS SuCCeS-
sor will be devolved upon the board
of trustees. These gentlemcn, wo
doubt not, will discharge the duty
satisfactorily. Tho primo end which
they will hold in view will be the
selection Of tho most suitable man for
tho place, and in casting about for
such a person they should conflno
themselves to the field Of professional
educators. There arc very substantial
reasons why they should not CROSS this
boundary.
1t will strike most persons that the
proper thing for the board Of trustees
10 do will be to select SUCCESSOR to
Prof. McBrydo from among his col
leagues on tho faculty. These gcntle-
mon have tho first claims upon tho
place; they stand on the limo Of pro-
motion, and the elevation OF ono Of
thcm to the presidency will be alto
gether in harmony with tho fitness of
things, and, we believe, will subserve
the best interests Of tho institution.
If, however, the board of trustees
cannot find suitable person among
the gentlomon now associated with
Prof. McBryde on the faculty, then
they should go to tho faculty Of some
other college in this or some other
State.
We think, however, that there is q
gentleman now member Of tho facul-
ty who is cminontly we'll qualified TO
meet all the requirements of tho situa-
ton. lie is q polished gentlemen of
scholarly erudition, born with the rare
faculty of governing which is so
essential to sue ocss in the president of
an institution of learning. We alludc
to Prof. r. Means Davis. His clcva-
ton to tho presidency would be ell
tiroly satisfactory to his co-laborcls on
the faculty, to the students, tho
alumni and tho friends of tho institu-
tion. 1t is without Prof. Davis's
knowledge or consent that we mako
this use Of his namo. He is not can
didate, we are sure, but wo arc equal
ly certain that if called upon to dis
charge tho duties Of president, that he
should not, and will not refuse.
Wo commend Prof. Davis to tho
board of trustees as q suitable person
to succeed Prof. McBrydc. He pos
sosses the executive ability, to crowd
tho essentials into q commonplace
phrase, which will insure his success
in the office.
"A Suggestion t3 tho Rcformers.
Much has been written and spoken
Of late about the ineilicioncy Of our
courts ofjustico, tho vcxatious delay
in the trial of civil causes, the abuses
of tho law which arise in practice, and
tho measures of correction that should
bo adopted. There is widespread dis
satisfaction, and it must bc admitted
by tho most conservative that there is
sufficient cause for it.
That estates are occasionally garblcd
up in course Of settlement has beon
very recently the subject Of cxtraordi-
nary complaint. That suits in equity
now and then outlivc all tho suitors is
a fact tht might be proved by many
witnesses on short notice. That these
abuses and delays arc driving tho
people from court, the natural forum
for the adjustment Of wrongs, was q
little while ago cordially admitted
from the bench by one Of tho ablest of
our circuit judges. Indeed it needs
but suggestion to to satisfy average
intelligence that there is ample room
for sweeping reform. Where shall it
begin and where shall it end?
The development of the art of stem.
ography and the appointment of court
stenographcrs renders readily in
tolligiblc tho answer which wo pro-
pose. Let tho present system Of re-
torring causes to masters and referees
be at once abolished, and lot the Leg
islaturc provide that witnesses shall
be examined in open court in all cases
(except when long account is in
volycd) whore tho Judge who
tries tho cause can sec and hear them.
1t may be expected that such an act
Will DO pronounced by tho lawyers
generally a vcritable hcllbondcr oxide
lpedster). It would mako a radical
change In their daily business, and they
arc by habit and education highly
conservative class Of gentlemen. But
tho people may be convinced, never.
no ess, thot 1t ombodies q measury of
permanent reform, and If so all oppo-
sition must sooner or later vanish.
Arguments against tho change drawn
al S7acOnUenientS may bo disnoscd ofl